fault 1 of 2

Definition of faultnext
1
2
3
4
5
as in responsibility
the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right the investigator determined that the auto accident was entirely the other driver's fault

Synonyms & Similar Words

fault

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun fault differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fault are failing, foible, frailty, and vice. While all these words mean "an imperfection or weakness of character," fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit.

a writer of many virtues and few faults

When could failing be used to replace fault?

The words failing and fault can be used in similar contexts, but failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character.

being late is a failing of mine

When might foible be a better fit than fault?

Although the words foible and fault have much in common, foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy.

an eccentric's charming foibles

In what contexts can frailty take the place of fault?

While the synonyms frailty and fault are close in meaning, frailty implies a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation.

human frailties

When is it sensible to use vice instead of fault?

The synonyms vice and fault are sometimes interchangeable, but vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others.

compulsive gambling was his vice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fault
Noun
What the champagne supernova has taught us is that this isn’t all Kyle’s fault, this isn’t all because of his partying and DJ-ing and mullet (please don’t bring it back). Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 June 2026 And for all his strengths, McIlroy thinks deeply about legacy and narrative, often to a fault. Brody Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Verb
This is expected to help develop better error correction strategies leading to fault tolerant quantum computers in the future. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026 Chwalinska double-faulted on the opening point of the match, but was the first player to hold serve in the fifth game. CBS News, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fault
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fault
Noun
  • Common symptoms include headaches, fever, diarrhea, muscle weakness, tingling or numbness, neck stiffness or flu-like symptoms.
    Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness, according to the CDC.
    Emily Vetter, USA Today, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • If circumstances had gone Spain’s way with more clinical finishing or a Cape Verde defender making a mistake, then the result would have been different and a lot of the chatter currently happening (including here) would likely not be happening.
    Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
  • In fact, according to Rakestraw, one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is assuming the babies have been abandoned and removing them immediately.
    Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • Fans split over who carries the blame, from the fighter and his team to the commission and the promotion.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • Sellers place a lot of blame on Sundance’s online platform, but a major factor is streamers became primary buyers of Sundance films — and then the streamers opted out of compression and bet on ubiquity.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Equipped with onboard sensors, ANYmal scans equipment for structural defects, overheating, and gas leaks without human supervision.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 22 June 2026
  • Federal bridge inspections – rooted in National Bridge Inspection Standards mandated by Congress in 1968 – exist because past failures showed that small defects can threaten large structures.
    Alex Krasnok, Fortune, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • Of course, somewhere so exposed to nature has a responsibility to maintain the beauty of the area.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026
  • Most significantly, Lee wants voters to grant the mayor’s office a veto over Oakland City Council decisions and absorb many day-to-day responsibilities of running the city.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, sharply criticized the circumstances surrounding the whale’s death.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • Plenty of those who populate that category are championed instead of criticized.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • Tordillos noted that the potential shortfall from the hotel tax failing would have been just a fraction of the threat posed by the November ballot measure.
    Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • The outsize failings of the men in power demand a grand reimagining of the consequences of those failings, and Helen of Nowhere offers up, exhilaratingly and naughtily, a myth for the man who needs to be shuffled offstage one way or another.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Crespi denied the claims, saying a bookkeeping error led to false allegations about her hours and vacation time.
    Tess Riski June 18, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026
  • Marist said the poll's margin of error was ±3 percent.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 18 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fault. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on fault

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster